Lakeshore has been fortunate to have visionary leadership in its first 100 years. From our supportive Board of Directors to our dedicated staff, many remarkable individuals have shaped our journey and played a pivotal role in our success and future direction. From Michael E. Stephens, who alongside hospital leadership had a passion to create Lakeshore Foundation, to Jeff Underwood, the Foundation’s first employee, a visionary who led us with an unwavering commitment for an impressive 30 years, transforming Lakeshore into a global leader, to John D. Kemp, a champion in the field of disability rights, carrying forward our legacy and pioneering new horizons for generations to come.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who are the essence of Lakeshore’s magic, making it such a special and vital organization. Our first century has been transformative, and we eagerly anticipate what the next hundred years will bring.
1925
Our history begins with the opening of the Jefferson Tuberculosis Sanitarium in 1925 on land generously donated by Birmingham-area community leaders, Robert Jemison and T.O. Smith. Treatment in the early 20th century was primarily sunlight and fresh air.
1930s
Several existing buildings on campus, such as the building at 3830 Ridgeway Drive, were built through President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps.
1970s
As the nation began to conquer tuberculosis, the focus turned to other important community health needs, leading to the opening of Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital in 1973. In a moment of synchronicity, some of the earliest hospital documents noted a potential future use for training Paralympic athletes. Inspired by the young Paralympic movement, Lakeshore Hospital leadership believed physical activity was essential to continued rehabilitation. Lakeshore founded one of the state’s first wheelchair basketball teams, the Chariots, in the early 1970s.
1980s
Interest in sports continued to grow throughout the 80s, with the addition of Lakeshore’s first youth programs along with competitive swimming, track and field, tennis, powerlifting, and wheelchair rugby.
In 1984, Lakeshore Foundation was created as a new entity to become home to adapted sports, recreation, and fitness programs. A gym, pool and fitness center were built on campus providing access to the important active lifestyle programs at the heart of the Foundation’s mission.
1990s
Ownership of the 45-acre campus shifted to Lakeshore Foundation. Simultaneously, the operation of Lakeshore Hospital shifted to a private provider. These strategic moves strengthened the Foundation’s mission and provided long-term financial stability. New membership programs flourished as community members got active in daily fitness, aquatics, sports and recreation programs. Lakeshore’s athletic program captured its first national championship in the 90s; the first of a remarkable 27 national championships in the first 100 years of operation.
2000s
A new strategic plan was created after the incredible success in the 1990s, resulting in the construction of the multi-purpose facility which opened in 2001. In 2003, Lakeshore’s reputation as a leader in adapted sport resulted in a designation from the United States Olympic Committee, now the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, as the Nation’s first official Olympic and Paralympic Training Site.
Lakeshore was later named as the National Governing Body for wheelchair rugby and now also serves in that same role for boccia and para powerlifting. To date, hundreds of Paralympic athletes from more than 50 nations have trained or competed at Lakeshore. The busy decade also marked the creation of the Lima Foxtrot program to provide sport and recreation camps for injured military personnel and their families.
2010s
U.S. President George W. Bush visited Lakeshore Foundation to speak at an event honoring injured military and Lakeshore’s ongoing commitment to Veterans and their families. In 2010, The Cottages at Lakeshore were built through a generous donation from the Capstone Companies to provide family-style housing on campus for injured military and athletes visiting Lakeshore.
Lakeshore also invested in research, partnering with academic institutions such as the University of Alabama at Birmingham, taking a pioneering approach to combining research and community programs.
2020s
Birmingham played host to The World Games, bringing athletes from around the globe to the Magic City. Lakeshore’s advocacy for the Games to be inclusive led to Low Point Wheelchair Rugby being added to the list of official sports as the first ever adapted sport on The World Games program.
As research initiatives evolved, Lakeshore responded to the needs of athletes, opening the Sports Science and Performance Center, a best-in-class center focused on adapted sports athletes, Paralympians, and hopefuls. Lakeshore’s diverse array of opportunities has led to the Foundation’s impact expanding significantly since the 1990s, growing from an original staff of two to more than 100 full-time and part-time employees. Membership has increased fourfold, and thousands of individuals from the community have collectively made over two million visits to the facility during the past two decades.
2025
Lakeshore began with a tremendous act of philanthropy and a mission-driven philosophy to serve the health and wellness needs of the community and beyond. Today, as never before, the impact of Lakeshore Foundation is felt globally through sport, physical activity, research, advocacy, and health promotion.
